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JUNE 2013 DIGITAL
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Copyright 2013 SportsOneSource, LLC. All rights reserved. The opinions expressed by writers and contributors to TEAM BUSINESS DIGITAL are not necessarily those of the editors or publishers. TEAM BUSINESS DIGITAL is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or artwork. Articles appearing in TEAM BUSINESS DIGITAL may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express permission of the publisher. TEAM BUSINESS DIGITAL is published monthly by SportsOneSource, LLC, 2151 Hawkins Street, Suite 200, Charlotte, NC 28203; 704.987.3450. Send address changes to TEAM BUSINESS DIGITAL , 2151 Hawkins Street, Suite 200, Charlotte, NC 28203; 704.987.3450
JUNE 2013 DIGITAL
ON THE COVER: Syracuse Sweeps Women's Lacrosse Weekly Awards, April 2013Photo courtesy Big East Conference
MAKING NEWS4
USA Football Releases Early Data from Concussion Study 5
Puma Launches Performance Soccer Boot Featuring Inner-Side Brand Name
Worth Sports Tabs New Director of Brand Management Sport Chalet Launches Team Online Order Site
14 Calendar
FEATURES6
STX Enters Ice Hockey Market 8
Balancing Act Lacrosse Equipment Leverages New Technologies
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Thomas J. Ryan
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Photo courtesy Maverik Lacrosse
8
NEWS
USA FOOTBALL RELEASES EARLY DATA FROM CONCUSSION STUDY
Fewer than 10 percent of youth football players suffered an injury while playing, and of those injuries, 64 percent were minor where ath-letes returned to play on the same day, according to preliminary find-ings of a study released last month by USA Football. The study may be the most comprehensive ever conducted on the subject.
The results are based on data collected from the first year of a two-year study to examine player health and safety in organized youth tackle football. “USA Football initiated and funded this study because nothing is more important to us than the safety of all youth football players,” said USA Football Senior Manager of Research Meg Moyer. “This study is an investment in our mission to ensure that athletes and their parents have a positive experience with this great game.”
USA Football, the sport’s national governing body, commissioned the study in February 2012 with Indianapolis, IN-based Datalys Center for Sports Injury Research and Prevention. The independent scientific study monitors 10 youth football leagues in six states and is believed to be the first of its scope in youth football’s 80-plus year history. Research documents player health and sustained injuries during the course of the 2012 and 2013 seasons. Final results are expected to be released in the first quarter of 2014. USA Football plans to conduct ongoing research in future years as well.
Approximately 2.8 million children age 6 to 14 play organized youth tackle football, making it the most popular youth sport in the U.S.
The first-year findings, which included more than 60,000 individual athlete exposures (defined as participation in a practice or game) for nearly 2,000 youth football players on more than 100 individual teams, includes the following data:
• More than 90 percent of the 1,913 youth players did not suffer an injury that restricted participation.
• Contusions were the most common injuries (35 percent), followed by ligament sprains (15 percent).
• Fewer than 4 percent of the youth players sustained a concus-sion.
• Similar to other levels of football, youth football players were more likely to be injured during games than practices.
• No catastrophic head, neck or heat-related injuries were reported.
Ten youth football leagues of varying size and demographics in Arizona, Indiana, Massachusetts, Ohio, South Carolina and West Virginia comprised the study’s nationally representative research pool. Individual leagues are undisclosed to ensure the anonymity of the participants.
“When we first looked at existing research studies, there was very little to be found concerning athletes below the high school level, in football or any other sport,” said Moyer. “I’m excited by what we’ve learned so far and hope that others will join us in examining player safety in all youth sports. These results reflect the first year of a two year study – we’re at the 50-yard line, so to speak. We look forward to using what we learn from Datalys to further strengthen our develop-ment resources, coaching education, and programs like Heads Up Football.”
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Puma introduced its new evoSpeed 1.2 FG, the latest performance boot designed to help players maximize their speed on the soccer field. For the first time, the boot features Puma’s brand name on the inner side of the boot instead of the formstripe, the brand’s iconic trademark. The black and fluorescent yellow boot made its debut mid-May with Sergio Agüero, Radamel Falcao, Olivier Giroud and other Puma players.
The soccer boot is designed to enable players to reach top speeds quickly without sacrificing stability or comfort, made possible through the use of light materials in combi-nation with an internal mid-foot EverFit support cage that maintains fit during all points of sprinting. The outsole is reconfigured with smaller conical studs that give players a better grip on the ground and enhance maneuverability on the pitch. For comfort, a minimized tongue and heel were added, reducing pressure on the Achilles tendon while the sock liner distributes the foot’s pressure evenly.
Inspired by the shape of muscles, tendons and the smooth curves of a race car, the boot features subtle black glossy graphics that round off the look of the more visible yellow prints. Other graphic features include the transparent dotted print on the vamp for better grip in wet conditions and small details in fluorescent blue. Available in stores globally as of June 1.
PUMA LAUNCHES PERFORMANCE SOCCER BOOT
FEATURING INNER-SIDE BRAND NAME
SPORT CHALET LAUNCHES TEAM ONLINE ORDER SITE
Sport Chalet, Inc. recently rolled out the Sport Chalet Team Site, a streamlined online solution to help schools manage field- and fan-based athletic apparel, footwear and equipment purchases. Several California high schools such as Chaminade College Prep, Esperanza High School, Tesoro High School and Torrey Pines High School are among early Team Site adopters.
"Schools need a convenient and reliable channel where teams and families can purchase gear without the usual order fulfillment night-mares," said Craig Levra, chairman and CEO of Sport Chalet. "With the Sport Chalet Team Site, school staff will no longer have to manage order forms, checks or cash from athletes and parents. Not to men-tion that schools can take advantage of the sites’ tools to raise funds by offering spirit and fan gear to the entire student body, friends and family." Through the newly available site portal, schools can create a team-dedicated hub to support player and spectator orders across an extensive inventory of customized apparel, footwear and equipment. Logo design is pre-selected by the school to maintain consistency. Flexible shipment options allow customers to receive product orders directly at the school, at homes or the nearest Sport Chalet retail store for pick-up.
The Sport Chalet Team Site is built on the KitOrder platform, a lead-ing team e-commerce solution. The platform streamlines all order sub-missions and payment collections. In addition to schools, the Sport Chalet Team Site is available to community groups such as clubs, churches, sports leagues and organized teams.
WORTH SPORTS TABS NEW DIRECTOR OF BRAND MANAGEMENT
Worth Sports -- part of Jarden Team Sports -- has promoted Mark Kraemer to director, Worth brand management. In his new role, Kraemer will oversee the direction and growth of Worth Sports as a premiere fastpitch and slowpitch softball brand. “Mark has done a tremendous job in his current role and will be influential in developing the future brand strategy for Worth Sports,” said Mike Thompson, senior vice president, Jarden Team Sports.
“Mark is an accomplished leader in this industry that will bring a tremendous amount of experience and knowledge to lead the Worth Sports team.” Kraemer has more than eight years of experience in the sporting goods industry for both the Worth Sports and Rawlings brands. In 2005, he began serving as the team sales coordinator for Rawlings and Worth. Since 2007 Kraemer has overseen the daily ac-tivities of the Rawlings Sports Marketing and Licensing department. Kraemer’s responsibilities included securing the contracts Rawlings holds with outside partners including Major League Baseball, NCAA, NAIA and youth associations.
In March 2013, Worth Sports changed its company logo and is in the midst of reestablishing its image. For more than a century, the company has been an industry leader for innovation in baseball and softball technology. Worth serves as the official softball of the NCAA and the official equipment supplier for many of the nation’s top col-legiate softball programs, including the national champion Oklahoma Sooners and national runner-up Tennessee Lady Vols. Worth Sports will continue to focus on being a market leader for both fastpitch and slowpitch softball equipment.
STX, LLC made a splash by announc-ing the launch of its ice hockey division earlier this month. STX currently manu-factures lacrosse, field hockey and golf equipment, and will begin production and sales of its ice hockey equipment in the fall of 2014. The STX Ice Hockey line will initially include padding and sticks.
STX, based in Baltimore, MD, has been active in laying the groundwork for its newest line. The company installed a management infrastructure, a Research & Development team and a product team to develop and launch STX Ice Hockey. In addition, STX’s headquarters in downtown Baltimore is expanding its offices and is in the midst of a hiring push fueled by the new division. Several thousand new feet of office space are being added,
and upgrades to the Bush Street distribution center will be made to accommodate the anticipated business volume. “Over the past two years, we have taken a very methodical and deliberate approach by leveraging our existing knowledge of protective gear and stick composites to create products which we are really proud of,” said Jason Goger, president of STX. “Recently, the process has dramatically accelerated due to the addition of key players with extensive experience in the ice hockey industry who will help us equip the world’s best players with STX products by the 2014 season.”
Those key players are led by Matt Hoppe, brought on as point person for the new division. Rocco Amonte, a former pro service representative for a global ice hockey business, and Sam Lacey, a composite
A leader in lacrosse and field hockey equipment, the brand will offer premium gear to ice hockey players for the first time in 2014.
ENTERS ICE HOCKEY MARKET
By Fernando J. Delgado
6 JUNE 2013 I TEAM BUSINESS DIGITAL
materials engineer, have also joined the STX team. Amonte will focus on creating the infrastructure required to serve the needs of players in the professional hockey leagues, while Lacey brings eight years of composite product development expertise to the growing STX R&D group. Hoppe has played a central role in establishing a product road map and strategic plan. He spoke with TEAM Business and shared his outlook for the division. “I’ve been around the game my whole life, so from an elite level player standpoint, I have a good sense of what players are looking for out of their equipment,” said the Michigan native, who played hockey in college at the University of New Hampshire, as well as in the USHL (United States Hockey League). “My time in the industry before I came to STX helped me understand how to make elite level
TEAMBUSINESSDIGITAL.COM 7
products for athletes who are looking for high-performance out of their equipment, and it’s helped me understand what it takes to bring that to life. I’ve had great training, and I’ve been fortunate to be around great products and great product launches.”
Hoppe, who currently holds the title of se-nior global brand manager, believes the new division will successfully replicate STX’s status as a leading brand in lacrosse, field hockey, and golf. To do so, STX Ice Hockey will draw on the innovation the brand has brought to the sport of lacrosse, particularly with protec-tive equipment. “Players are always looking for equipment that runs that parallel between just the right amount of protection, but the ul-timate in mobility,” he said. “Our background and our DNA in lacrosse brings that thinking over to the ice hockey industry, which has seen equipment growth and changes over the last 10 to 20 years. But there’s still room for improvement in terms of dexterity, mobility, and a lot of fit, feel and performance aspects that we think we can tweak to make hockey more functional.”
“From a company perspective, we felt that we were far enough along, and we felt that we had the right to step into the ice hockey space and make equipment that can advance the game and be beneficial for players around the globe,” Hoppe continued. “The timing is right because the hockey industry could use another set of people to push the game for-ward. A lot of our competitors are doing great things, but any time someone new can step into the space and bring new thinking to the game, it only helps make everybody better.”
Ed Saunders, director of marketing for STX, added that the company’s move into ice hockey has been in the works for more than 10 years, picking up steam about two years ago with intensive consumer research and early prod-uct development. For STX, the move was a natural progression. “We have a lot of core competencies that play well in ice hockey,” said Saunders. “We design, develop and com-mercialize protective products for lacrosse all day long. And a lot of it is made in the same factories where the hockey equipment is made. We have a very high level of brand eq-uity in markets that hockey is played in. We’re a premium lacrosse brand, and there’s quite a bit of crossover in terms of the player bases.
“It’s not a sport that is foreign to us by any means, and what’s happened here is that a deci-sion was made that if we could do it, we should do it well, do it right, and do it in a way that’s representative of our brand while also taking to heart the needs and wants of hockey players. We’re all comfortable that we’ve gotten there.”
Connecting with professional players from the NHL (National Hockey League) will be one of the first orders of business for the new divi-sion. STX hopes that feedback from pros will help contribute to product development, while potential athlete endorsements and relation-ships will establish credibility with customers. “From an overall perspective, we’re far enough along with the product line that we’re eager to get in front of some of the world’s best ath-letes,” explained Hoppe. “And that’s why we hired Rocco Amonte. He’s going to have boots on the ground over the course of the summer, talking to NHL athletes and figuring out how to tweak equipment to suit their needs, because they’re the highest-level athletes that are go-ing to be using our equipment. We’re going to be showcasing our brand to them in order to determine how we’re going to enter the NHL space for the 2013-2014 season. That will be a huge point of success for us.
“We also want to find great partners to sit down and help us organically figure things out from the ground up. A lot of times, companies will go up to an athlete with a glove and say, ‘We’re going to pay you X amount of dollars to wear this glove.’ We’re more interested in finding a player who wants to be part of things from the ground up, which is not often the case. Hopefully we’re still early enough in the process that they can get to do that with us, which is great.”
Saunders pointed out that STX will have to earn the respect of hockey players, and that the line’s early success, aside from sales, will be measured in large part by player validation and acceptance. “What we’re going to do is spend time with elite level players, making sure the products perform the right way - the way they need it to,” he shared.
“Then we’ll use that to drive and inform the product development process at the upper price points, and from there establish
Matt Hoppe, senior global brand
manager, STX
a direction vertically. We’re not trying to go out and get 50 guys in the NHL to use our stuff tomorrow. What we want is to establish meaningful relationships with key guys, and make sure the product is good and right. We’re confident that once they’re happy with what we’ve done, it will translate to the consumer.”
According to Hoppe, there will be certain categories that consumers can expect STX to offer to the market, even though the line is still in the very early stages of development and the final determination for product is yet to be made. Composite sticks and protective items such as gloves and pads are likely to be core categories, with clearer focus on product mix coming into view starting at the end of 2013 and early 2014. ■
STX's Sam Lacey, composite materials engineer, and Mike Schmittdiel, senior mechanical engineer, work on product development for the new STX Ice Hockey Division.
8 JUNE 2013 I TEAM BUSINESS DIGITAL
f one word could be used to best describe lacrosse equipment, bal-ance would be it. Just as with other team sports such as football and baseball, lacrosse players want the best-performing, lightest and most protective equipment. For manufacturers, finding the right
equilibrium – whether between the weight and construction of their handles and heads, or the comfort and protection of their helmets and pads - is the key to making their customers happy. And for sellers, understanding trends and being aware of the newest lines is paramount in choosing their inventory for the 2014 season.
Lacrosse remained one of the hottest sports in terms of participation in 2012, even though it didn't grow quite as fast as it has during the previous three years. According to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association’s (SFIA) 2013 Sports, Fitness and Leisure Activities Topline Participation Report, total lacrosse participation was up 7.1 percent in
TEAM previews key new products from leading lacrosse vendors so that sellers can anticipate the hottest equipment for 2014.
BALANCING ACT LACROSSE EQUIPMENT
LEVERAGES NEW TECHNOLOGIES
By Fernando J. Delgado
I 2012 from the prior year. And thanks to the sport picking up steam in new population areas, a generation of young players is picking up lacrosse sticks for the first time, while many older players are graduating to elite levels of play after being the first members of their family to try the sport. “SportsScanInfo data shows that, year-to-date, Lacrosse Cleats are up close to 70 percent from the previous year,” noted Neil Schwartz, VP of market & consumer insights at SportsOneSource. “That is a good indication about new people entering into the sport, as well as people staying with it.”
Sellers of lacrosse equipment – whether team dealers or big box retailers – must be cognizant of not only an influx of youth players, but also the various defined skill levels which have been established in a short time. “The number-one trend in lacrosse is the sustained growth of the sport. I spent some time with the folks at U.S. Lacrosse
Photo courtesy STX
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[recently], and it was a big topic of conversation,” said Ed Saunders, marketing director at STX. “That’s one underlying trend, and that affects everything else. The growth rate is staying close to 10 percent. Ten percent growth off a bigger base every year means more recreational and intermediate level players that are in the marketplace. We’re seeing many more beginners. There’s also a trend towards products being thought about from that perspective. Rather than everything being designed for elite level play, we’re seeing more vertical approaches to building an assortment.”
In addition to new players picking up lacrosse, the sport has expand-ed into previously untapped territories. And as it grows, the culture of the game itself attracts those unfamiliar with it and draws them in. “The traditional areas – such as Baltimore, Virginia, New England, Long Island – are strong and robust, and there’s even a little bit of growth
Photo courtesy Brine
there. But if you look at places like California, Texas, the Southeast - Atlanta, Florida – Chicago and even Minnesota, which has shown sig-nificant growth over the last several years, you see lacrosse exploding. It’s everywhere,” said Saunders. “And it’s great to see because kids are embracing the game. It’s contagious. The interesting thing about lacrosse kids is that they take their stick with them everywhere they go. And then it’s viral, because their friends see it and their neighbors see it. It fuels its own growth in that respect.”
Tom Burns, senior product manager for Warrior Sports and Brine, said lacrosse equipment is evolving along with the game. As a result, manufacturers have been bringing more specialized equipment to the market, and sellers should keep that emerging trend in mind when filling out their orders for 2014. “One of the bigger trends we’re seeing in the sport of lacrosse is a specialization of the equipment with the
Photo courtesy STX
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thought of the player position in mind,” observed Burns. “We’ve done a lot of research on the way consumers shop, and the way they approach buying new equipment. One of the earliest questions - when you look at retail and you see how the sales transaction happens – that the sales associate asks the customer is: ‘What level do you play, and what position do you play?’ That question is always in the conversation.”
Burns explained that, unlike other sports where positions are more fluid, positions are more specialized in lacrosse. “Your attackmen are looking for a product to do a certain thing, and your defenders and middies [midfielders] are each looking for something different,” he con-tinued. “It’s interesting to watch how there are different levels of shoul-der pads now. There’s the beefed up one, the in-between one, and the light, trimmed down one. You’ll see that same execution in arm pads, where you have a beefed up protective one, one that’s in the middle, and then a light one. That all attributes itself to this position-focused development of equipment.”
Burns also noted that the thicker shoulder and arm pads tend to be used by attackmen who carry the ball and must endure a gauntlet of long pole defenders trying to check the ball out of their head pocket. “The level of protection is different for a defender, for example, who is trying to stop the offensive player,” he said. “The offensive player is concerned about getting checked in the arm, while that doesn’t happen quite as much in the defender’s role. We generally see defenders with the small, light arm pads. They’re more concerned about being flexible and quick than they are about protecting the arm, because they’re not getting hit quite as much. The middies are in between. Some midfield-ers will go more protective, while others will go lighter.” Warrior’s stand-out protective pads for 2014 include the Rabil Hitlyte Shoulder Pad and Rabil Arm Guards, both part of the Rabil collection, a line developed with lacrosse legend Paul Rabil.
between weight and stiffness, and where the perfect spot will be. And we got as close as we ever have with this new Evo 4 head. It’s stiff, but it’s also lightweight. It’s all about being balanced.”
Several manufacturers, including STX, Warrior, Brine, Maverik, Gait and deBeer, are bringing new heads to the market in 2014 that will be the most sophisticated ever constructed. For STX, a great deal of product development went into their 2014 heads, and their research was rooted in better understanding today’s lacrosse player. “As the designers of the first synthetic lacrosse head, the lacrosse head category is always a category that has been strong for us,” said STX’s Saunders. “We’re looking at ways to make products perform better. Specifically, we’re looking at things from a player profile perspective. We’ve done a lot of re-search and found that players tend to categorize themselves. We’re trying to set up our product as-sortment in such a way that aligns with that profile. On the boys’ side it’s more about playing style, whereas on the girls’ side they look at it in terms of what position they play.”
For men’s lacrosse, STX will be offering the Surgeon and Stallion heads as part of their 2014 line. Saunders pointed out that the Surgeon is more for the precision player who desires accuracy and control, while the Stallion is designed for more wide-ranging players that cover more of the field and have a diverse style of play.
Continued Burns, “We’re also trying to bring position into the way we create lacrosse heads. It’s come across our line, and I think you’ll see more of that as the sport develops. There’s more attention to it then there ever has been in the past.” Highlighting Warrior’s 2014 heads is the Evo 4 line, including the Evo 4X and Evo 4 HS.
“What we realized after looking to the past is that you can go to lightweight heads that might be a flimsier or not as durable, or you can go to the other end of the spectrum and have durable heads that are stiff, but heavy,” stated Burns. “What we’ve tried to pinpoint over the last few years is the perfect balance between weight and stiff-ness. We’ve only been able to get there with a lot of engineering and product testing. Weight has a direct correlation with shot speed. The faster I get my head going in a swing motion, the faster the ball comes out of the stick. Conversely, if you go lightweight and the head gets soft, you lose accuracy because the head is flimsy. If you lose too much stiffness, you lose accuracy. We studied that relationship
Other key products leading STX’s men’s 2014 product line include the K18 line, the Alliance Shaft, Shield Goalie Glove and Shield Pro Chest Protector. “We’re seeing a lot of energy and enthusiasm from consumers for the new K18 collection,” shared Saunders, referring to the line designed and endorsed by lacrosse superstar Kyle Harrison.
Warrior Rabil Hitlyte Shoulder Pad Warrior Evo 4X
STX Shield Pro Goalie Glove
STX Shield Pro Chest Protector
STX
Alli
ance
& S
urge
on S
haft
s
Photo courtesy Cascade
TEAMBUSINESSDIGITAL.COM 11
“A lot of people view Kyle Harrison as the ambassador of the sport, and his collection has been a winner for many years. He came to us and said there was an opportunity to do something new with the line for 2014, after spending a lot of time doing clinics with intermediate level kids. He worked with the R&D group for many years to re-position the product.”
According to Saunders, the K18 handle has already been released and has seen immense demand, while the K18 head and protective models will be available this fall. The STX women’s line, meanwhile, features several models designed specifically by position, including at-tack, midfield, defense and goalies. "And then there’s another layer below that, which is the vertical assortment piece of it, which asks what level of play they are at,” said Saunders, while noting that STX has seen a lot of success with its products geared towards intermediate level players.
Items of interest on the STX women’s side include the Crux 25 line of handles, the Exult Sci-Ti line of handles, and the Fortress Head. The Crux women’s handles are built with STX's proprietary flex technol-ogy to optimize player performance by providing maximum velocity and snap on shots and precision on feeds; while the Exult line is designed for the ver-satility of the female midfielder. The Fortress Head is a defender-specific model featuring C-Channel tech-nology that increases strength by distributing stress evenly along the bottom rail.
The glove category will also see a concerted ef-fort from vendors to mix protection and lightweight performance. “In terms of gloves, in lacrosse
there’s so much that goes on in the wrist,” said Warrior and Brine’s Burns. “Mobility is one of the most important things in lacrosse gloves,
outside of protection. You want your wrist to be able to bend back, since a lot of back-bending in the wrist helps with shot power.” Brine designed a new arch system for its King IV Glove that lifts the pads off of the player’s hand, and pro-vides a high level of protection along with optimal ventilation that helps players deal with
heat and humidity. “This push towards mobility and protection is what it’s all about in lacrosse gloves these days,” concluded Burns.
With concern over concussions and a constant push for safety, hel-mets are an essential piece that sellers stock and know well. Technolo-gy will always be the distinguisher in order to provide the best protection. Warrior’s Regulator Helmet, new for 2014, features a technical liner that pushes the boundar-ies between lightweight and protection. “Protection is something that’s on every-one’s radar these days,” said Burns. “We partnered with a lab that does a lot of au-tomotive work. We worked with someone that has a lot of experience with control-ling energy management in car crashes.
Our new liner system in the Regulator is totally new to the industry. It’s unique in how it’s designed in that it’s highly customized for what we call hit zones. We’ve tried to customize protection into the zones to be the ultimate in protection in those key impact areas. Once the market sees it and tries it on, it’s something that could pick up steam quickly with our new liner and the Regulator helmet.”
Lacrosse offers a unique market for sellers, as price points haven’t been as adversely affected by the economy as other team sports. “Lacrosse is still a pretty affluent sport. In that regard, it’s a little insu-lated,” observed Warrior and Brine’s Burns. “But what we have seen customers spending a little less in other ways. In years past, parents would buy a stick and a backup stick for their kid. Now, those same parents only make one single purchase of a lot of these items. Con-sumers are trying to ride out the item and get the best value they can. They’ll still spend the top dollar if they think that product can go one or two extra seasons. Consumers are pulling back a little bit. They’ll still get the top-end model, but they’re not getting the extra items that they may have bought prior to the economic downturn. We’re adjusting to that mentality internally.”
Burns also said the average lacrosse consumer is doing more research about the products they purchase, utilizing feedback and product reviews from websites and blogs. “Generally, we’ve made a big push on our protective line. We’ve seen a lot of
growth in that area,” he said. “The Brine women’s line has done ex-tremely well over the last few years, and the women’s game across the board is continuing to trend well.
“The typical categories that we pay a lot of attention to - heads, handles and gloves – are the image drivers in the sport, and they’re the ones that the consumer cares the most about,” Burns added. “They’re buying them on a regular cycle compared to the shoul-der pad, where a player may only buy one every three or four years. We’ve been able to continue success in heads, handles, and gloves, and we’ve been able to push out innovative protec-tive pieces.” Such innovative pieces from Brine include the men’s Swizzle Scandium Attack Shaft, the women’s Hail Shaft, the men’s Clutch Elite Shaft, the men’s STR Helmet, and the women’s Seeker Goggle, among others.
Gait Lacrosse will be offering several sleek men’s items span-ning several categories as well. The Gait Recon XLU Head, which will be available both strung and unstrung, as well as with both traditional and mesh pockets, is a universal size head that meets NCAA and NFHS rules and specifications. Designed for attackmen and midfielders with mid/high pocket types, this particular product uses Gradient Sidewall Technology for a combination of lightweight strength and durability. The Gait 6000 handle - brand new for 2014 – is available for attackmen, midfielders and goalies, and
STX Fortress Head
Brine King IV Glove
STX Crux 25 handle
Brine Hail Shaft
Brine Seeker Goggle
Brine Clutch Elite head
Gait 6000 handle Warrior’s Regulator Helmet
12 JUNE 2013 I TEAM BUSINESS DIGITAL
provides improved control at a lighter weight of 200 grams. Gait also excels in high-per-forming protective gear, as evidenced by its Recon ProGloves. The gloves have been re-designed for 2014 with a new comfort palm and a hand/thumb pad, creating high impact protection along with a soft hand feel. Its de-sign is intricate, featuring hinged fingers for added flexibility and speed, and ergonomic shape that fits the natural contours of the hand, and a premium leather comfort palm with seamless fingers.
Maverik, meanwhile, will be unveiling most of its 2014 line next month at the Maverik-sponsored Fifth Annual Showtime Lacrosse National Recruiting Spotlight event, to be held July 8-11 at Western Connecticut State University in Danbury, CT. The nation’s top 160 rising sophomores and top 160 rising juniors will test their skills against the best players from coast to coast at the event, with several of the country’s top collegiate coaches looking on. Maverik will stage its 2014 product launch there, previewing key models in its head, handle and glove categories.
In addition, Cascade, which was acquired by Maverik’s parent com-pany Bauer Performance Sports last year, will introduce its newest helmet at the Showtime event. “It’s a great opportunity to showcase our R&D team’s new products,” said Mike Chepucavage, marketing di-rector for Cascade and Maverik Lacrosse. “First and foremost, on the Cascade side, the R Helmet is something that we’re proud of this year. A lot of NCAA teams are hesitant to change gear in the middle of the season. I think it speaks volumes that it received zero pushback from the 12 or so college programs we approached to wear these helmets for the NCAA Tournament. The fact they were ready and willing to try our newest product without hesitation shows how much they love the helmets.”
The Cascade R helmet embodies the protective story of balance: prioritizing protection, fit and design for lacrosse players by employ-ing state-of-the-art technology. It utilizes a dual liner system to protect against both high and low energy impacts - the new SevenTechnology liner system safeguards against high energy impacts, while Poron XRD
foam fights against low energy impacts. Available for team dealers, retailers, and players on July 1, and already in use by several NCAA Division I men’s lacrosse programs, the R helmet will carry an MSRP of $250.
Back on the women’s side, deBeer Lacrosse will continue to offer premiere equipment to females of all skill levels in 2014. As a brand that specializes in the women’s game, deBeer’s sticks, handles, gloves and goggles - among many other categories – are made with special attention to the stick skills and finesse which encompass the sport.
Highlights for next year include deBeer’s Spire Head, 6000 Handle, Lucent SI Goggles and the Swag Combo. The Spire is a lightweight head with a narrow throat for increased ball control and maximum off-set and ball-stop height for improved catching and cradling. The deBeer 6000 handle is made for players who want performance and control. The 6000’s Triax shape orients the stick to correct position during play, and its soft grip finish allows for easy handling. DeBeer’s
Lucent SI Goggles provide comfortable, stylish protection in the form of silicone comfort gel, along with a patented interchangeable wire sys-tem for custom color options between the wire and frame.
Next year, there will be no shortage of excel-lent lacrosse equipment for team dealers and retailers to stock their shelves. With sell-through expected to be strong at each price point - high-end, mid, and entry levels - sellers can take advantage of sophisticated product lines and a growing number of players willing to spend top dollar for the hottest gear. ■
Gait Recon Pro Gloves
Cascade R Helmet
deBeer’s Spire Head
deBeer’s 6000 Handle
deBeer’s Swag Combo
Photo courtesy STX
Socks
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CALENDAR For full year calendar go to sportsonesource.com/events
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JUNE
18-20 Licensing International Expo Las Vegas, NV
26-28 TAG Spring/Summer Show St. Charles, MO
27-29 Sports Inc. Athletic Show Denver, CO
JULY
9-10 TAG Summer Show St. Charles, MO
10-12 BCA International Billiard & Home Recreation Expo Friedrichshafen, Germany
11-14 European Outdoor Trade Fair Friedrichshafen, Germany
12-14 A.D.A. Spring Show Milwaukee, WI
16-18 ASI Chicago Chicago, IL
17-19 NBS Specialty Outdoor Market Fort Worth, TX
18-19 NBS Summer Athletic Specialty Market Fort Worth, TX
31 Outdoor Retailer Open Air Demo Salt Lake City, UT
AUGUST
1-4 Outdoor Retailer Summer Market Salt Lake City, UT
1-4 SGB Active Lifestyle Investors Conference Salt Lake City, UT
8-10 Sports Inc. Outdoor Show Denver, CO
17-19 Altanta Shoe Market Atlanta, GA
SEPTEMBER
8-10 NBS Fall Semi-Annual Market Fort Worth, TX
18-20 Interbike International Trade Expo Las Vegas, NV
25-26 Sports & Fitness Industry Assoc. Industry Leaders Summit Baltimore, MD
30-2 OIA Rendezvous San Diego, CA
OCTOBER
7-8 The Retailing Summit Dallas, TX
15-17 SGB Sports & Technology Convergence Palo Alto, CA
NOVEMBER
1-3 NBS Fall Athletic Market Austin, TX
5-7 TAG Fall/Winter Show St. Louis, MO
15-17 A.D.A. Fall Show San Antonio, TX
24-26 Sports, Inc. Athletic Show Las Vegas, NV
Athletic Dealers of America1395 Highland AvenueMelbourne, FL 32935t 321.254.0091f 321.242.7419athleticdealersofamerica.com
National Shooting Sports FoundationFlintlock Ridge Office Center11 Mile Hill RoadNewtown, CT 06470t 203.426.1320 f. 203.426.1087nssf.org
National Sporting Goods Association1601 Feehanville Drive / Suite 300Mount Prospect, IL 60056t 847.296.6742f 847.391.9827nsga.org
Nation’s Best Sports4216 Hahn Blvd.Ft. Worth, TX 76117t 817.788.0034f 817.788.8542nbs.com
Outdoor Industry Association4909 Pearl East Circle / Suite 300Boulder, CO 80301t 303.444.3353f 303.444.3284outdoorindustry.org
Sports & Fitness Industry Assoc. 8505 Fenton StreetSilver Spring, MD 20910t 301.495.6321f 301.495.6322sfia.org
Snow Sports Industries America8377-B Greensboro DriveMcLean, VA 22102t 703.556.9020f 703.821.8276snowsports.org
Sports, Inc.333 2nd Avenue NorthLewistown, MT 59457t 406.538.3496f 406.538.2801sportsinc.com
Sports Specialists Ltd.590 Fishers Station Drive / Suite 110Victor, NY 14564t 585.742.1010f 585.742.2645sportsspecialistsltd.com
Team Athletic Goods629 Cepi DriveChesterfield, MO 63005t 636.530.3710f 636.530.3711tag1.com
Worldwide 8211 South 194thKent, WA 98032t 253.872.8746f 253.872.7603wdi-wdi.com
14 JUNE 2013 I TEAM BUSINESS DIGITAL
Contact Jeremy Freed at 303.997.7302 or email [email protected].
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